Team

The activities of the WRF are coordinated by the WRF Secretariat, based in St. Gallen, Switzerland.

Staff Members

Managing Director

Bas de Leeuw is Managing Director of the World Resources Forum (WRF), based in Switzerland. WRF is wellknown for its annual flagship conferences, as well as for multistakeholder dialogue projects such as the EC Horizon2020 FORAM project (Advancing the idea of a World Forum on Raw Materials) and the ISO IWA program SRI (Sustainable Recycling...

Program Director

Dr. Mathias Schluep has studied Environmental Engineering and received his PhD in Natural Sciences from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (Switzerland) in 2000. Mathias Schluep has worked in the academic and private sector in the fields of development cooperation, environmental research and general business consultancy at national and international levels for several...

Program Manager

Sonia Valdivia is a Programme Manager at the World Resources Forum since mid August 2014 on the areas of ‘sustainable recycling industries’ and ‘life cycle management’. Before she was Programme Officer at the UNEP Division of Technology, Industry and Economics, and has been coordinating the Secretariat of the UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative. She has a PhD...

Scientific Officer

Dr. Cecilia Matasci has studied Biology at the University of Lausanne (Switzerland) and Natural Sciences of the Environment at the University of Geneva (Switzerland) from 2000 to 2003 and from 2004 to 2006. After various job experiences in Switzerland and abroad, she wrote her PhD thesis at the Economics and Environmental Management Laboratory at the...

Project Manager

María Lucía Híjar has studied Business Administration at the University of St. Gallen (Switzerland) from 2008 to 2012 and continued with the Master of Arts in Marketing, Services and Communication Management at the same university. Her main subject of interest focuses on consumer behaviour, responsible consumption, sustainable marketing and Hispanic studies. Meanwhile, she has been...

Project Associate

Maria Sureda Serra has a degree in Law by the University of the Balearic Islands (Spain) and a Master’s degree in Diplomacy and International Public Service by the CEI International Affairs (Spain). Her expertise lies in the area of Human Rights. In 2013, she worked for the NGO EarthRights International in its Amazon Legal Office...

Executive Assistant

Nicole Nussbaumer has graduated at the Business School of Basel (Switzerland) in 1998. She has worked as a secretary in various Swiss companies since then. Nicole joined the World Resources Forum in 2013 as an executive assistant where she is responsible for accounting, human resources and administration.

Consultant Finance and Investment

Angel is responsible for the development of mechanisms to finance resource-efficient and sustainable SMEs and startups (in particular the WRF IBIS, IBIRE and Social Innovation projects for the United Nations Sustainable Consumption and Production 10YFP programme) as well as for communication and outreach for World Resources Forum and UNEP International Resource Panel, in particular on...

Project Associate

Dr. Shahrzad Manoochehri has studied Geology and received her PhD in field of Geochemistry and Petrology from Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (Switzerland), where she continued working as a research associate at the Department of Earth Sciences. During this time, she was doing experimental and analytical investigations on the world’s largest chromium ore...

Consultant Event Management

Sony is a professional conference and project manager with long-term experience in the MICE (Meetings Incentives Conferences, and Exhibitions) sector in Switzerland (including KKL Luzern, Wurth Haus Rorschach, Umwelt Arena Spreitenbach). He was born and raised in Germany and currently works for JT International as Key Account Manager. He advises and supports major WRF conferences...

Project Associate

Rafael Widmer is currently enrolled in a Dual Degree Master‘s programme in Environmental Policy and International Affairs & Governance at Sciences Po Paris and the University of St. Gallen. His main courses focus on environmental and resource economics as well as the politics of climate change. He has previously worked as a project manager for...

Website Support

Originally from Canada, Thad Mermer has worked in various capacities for over 20 years with the United Nations and other international organizations in the environmental protection and sustainable development sectors. His work profile has transitioned over the years from hands-on Industrial Ecology and Cleaner Production projects to online communications, research, publication editing, and graphic design. The transition included several geographical locations along...